The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the US Department of Energy (DOE) have initiated a joint national datacenter energy efficiency information program. The program coordinates a wide variety of activities from the DOE Industrial Technologies Program Save Energy Now initiative, the DOE Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP), and the EPA ENERGY STAR program.
The program is engaging numerous industry stakeholders who are developing and deploying a variety of tools and informational resources to assist datacenter operators in their efforts to reduce energy consumption in their facilities. These groups include, for example: 7 x 24 Exchange, AFCOM, American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), Critical Facilities Roundtable, Information Technology Industry Council (ITIC), Silicon Valley Leadership Group, The Green Grid Association, and The Uptime Institute.
The National Data Center Energy Efficiency Information Program integrates and coordinates existing activities from the DOE Save Energy Now initiative, DOE FEMP, and the EPA ENERGY STAR program. The elements of the Program include consensus energy efficiency metrics and benchmarking; energy saving tools and training; certification of datacenter energy; equipment performance specification and labeling, and recognition of best-in-class datacenters.
To address the unique energy management needs of datacenters, DOE and EPA have consulted with a wide variety of industry groups and individual companies during the development of existing program elements. Section 453 of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 requires DOE and EPA to jointly designate an organization to consult with and to coordinate a voluntary national information program for energy efficiency in datacenters. DOE and EPA are in the process of determining the role of this organization as well as the criteria for selection. Once the role is established and criteria identified, DOE and EPA will issue a Federal Register notice announcing the plan to select an organization.